The present invention is directed to a device for producing a perpendicular change in the conveyance direction of products such as sliced foodstuffs in a packaging apparatus. Such a device is known in a version in which a product is introduced via a conveyor system on a conveyor belt perpendicular thereto. In other words, at the point of transfer from one conveyor belt to the other perpendicular conveyor belt below, the product must travel a certain fall distance with the disadvantage that the product may turn during the fall, that it may be damaged, and that it may not guarantee a sufficient packaging quality.
Certain cases require a paper foil or synthetic foil underneath the product slice in order to package and stack such products with an interposed foil at the following packing station. If such a product with foil underneath is to be handled with the familiar perpendicular transfer, this would not be possible because the foil would adversely affect the glide properties of the product on the belt to such an extent that a perpendicular transfer of the product onto the belt below would no longer be guaranteed. Inasmuch as the product also has the tendency to separate from the foil during its free fall onto the belt below, a subsequent adhesion of the product to the foil below is no longer guaranteed.
In addition, there is the disadvantage that products with the risk of breakage such as certain cheese varieties which must be turned 90.degree. in their direction of conveyance as individual slices cannot be handled with such traditional devices because the slice can break due to the free fall of the individual slice from the upper belt to the belt below.